Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Women’s Health Plan, 2021-2024, includes a long term action to establish a Women’s Health Research Fund with the aim of closing gaps in scientific and medical knowledge in women’s health for both sex specific and non sex-specific conditions.

The Chief Scientist Office provide funding for the NHS Research Scotland Cardiovascular Network. The role of the Network is to support the delivery of high quality cardiovascular disease clinical research for the benefit of patients in Scotland and is currently providing support for the following clinical study:

Tako Genetics Study - Is There a Genetic Predisposition for Acute Stress-Induced (Takotsubo) Cardiomyopathy?

The Chief Scientist Office directly funds research through its 2 expert committees.

Applications on Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, and other heart conditions, are welcomed and in common with all other applications would go through a process of independent expert review in order to enable funding decisions to be made.

All funded activity was authorised by the Scottish Government in line with the strategic aims and objectives of the Ecosystem Fund.

I would refer the member to the written answer of S6W-11101 of
‎ 4 October 2022; which confirms that significant progress is expected this year on the tender design stage, with the Invitation to tender stage to be undertaken thereafter.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The National Fertility Group make recommendations to Scottish Government on eligibility criteria for NHS IVF Fertility Treatment. The criteria are kept under constant review by the Group.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work closely with its core funded cultural organisations, to understand the impacts that the current cost crisis, and wider pressures, are having on the sector. We will be looking at the potential for three-year funding settlements in preparations for the 2023-24 budget.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S6W-11097 and S6W-11098 on 17 October 2022. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The Scottish Government is responsible for putting a framework in place that is conducive to the encouragement of NHS dental services. Part of that framework includes providing funding, through the emergency support payments, multiplier payments, and bridging payments, to help NHS dental practices to provide NHS dental services.

We understand that there are particular challenges in attracting dentists to work in more remote areas which is why we have recently updated the Recruitment and Retention Allowance. This Golden Hello payment means that dentists providing NHS dental services in qualifying areas, including Gretna, can receive up to £25,000 over a two year period. We are also working closely with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop a mentorship scheme for EU dentists which will allow them to work in Scotland to support areas facing recruitment challenges whilst they work towards their VT equivalence.

NHS Boards make arrangements with dental contractors to provide NHS dental services in their areas as local provision is the responsibility of the Board. However, officials meet regularly with the Board and are working closely with them on suitable contingency arrangements should these be required.

It is important that we build on our existing peace work and increase our knowledge and experience to strengthen Scotland’s peace offer. That is why we are actively considering options from the expert research we commissioned. The Scottish Government is committed to Scotland being an active and responsible global citizen and our priority now is to ensure that our future peace offer is an appropriate and responsible contribution to the existing activity underway in Scotland and internationally. I look forward to updating Parliament with our plans in due course.

The Subsidy Control implications of (a) merging CMAL and CalMac Ferries and (b) directly awarding public ferry contracts to an in-house operator will be considered in full as part of Ministers’ consideration of the issues.